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Using a Sketch Layout to Design the User Interface for an App

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You can freely place form objects in the user interface of the apps you build, with no grid constraints, by usingSketchmode in the Application Builder in COMSOL Multiphysics^®. This enables you to have completely arbitrary positioning of the form objects, layer them so that they partially or fully overlap, and have the form objects take on a fixed size and position so that they are not resizable. Here, we will show how to design a simulation app using aSketchlayout and the additional options available for when doing so.

Follow along by downloading the model filehere.

Tutorial: Layout Modes — Sketch Mode

This example highlights thesimplified thermal microactuatortutorial model, which a simulation app was developed for at the start of the course. Here, changes are made to the app usingSketchmode, which is the default layout mode in the software. (You can change this default setting underFile>Preferences> Application Builder >Forms.) Functionality that enables you to accomplish this quickly and easily is also highlighted here. This includes guidelines that appear as you drag and drop form objects in theMain Window Editor, several menu features that enable you to align a group of selected objects, and the option to toggle grid lines on and off, which you can then use to snap form objects into place. Considerations when designing the app using a sketch layout are also highlighted. A synopsis of the topics covered in the tutorial video include the following:

• Sketchlayout mode
  • Aligning form objects
  • Arrangemenu
• Form objectSettingswindow
  • Position and Sizesection settings
• Show Grid Linesoption
  • Sketch Gridsettings
• Design limitations withSketchlayout mode

Further Learning

See how the original simulation app was built usingSketchlayout mode in the tutorial video onusing theSingle formtemplate. You can also find more information in the "Sketch and Grid Layout" section of theIntroduction to the Application Builderdocumentation.